Naval commander Horatio Nelson became the first non-Royal to receive a full British state funeral on 9th January, 1806, when tens of thousands of mourners lined the streets of London to pay tribute to their fallen hero - including, surprisingly, his defeated counterpart, French admiral Pierre-Charles de Villeneuve. 

The anticipation for the burial was fuelled by the nationalistic fervour that developed during the two months it took from news of Nelson’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar to his body arriving back in Britain.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly pick apart ‘Kiss Me Hardy’; explain how it was his earlier success at the Battle of the Nile that cemented his reputation as a household name; and pore over his commemorative funeral merch, from Union flags to anchor earrings…

Further Reading:

• ‘Nelson's funeral’ (Royal Museums Greenwich): https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/nelsons-funeral

• ’Horatio Nelson: Britain’s Famous Admiral’ (The Collector, 2021): https://www.thecollector.com/horatio-nelson-britain-famous-admiral/

• ‘1805: The Battle That Shattered Napoleon's Invasion Plans’ (Timeline, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-po6WQ-wDd0

This episode first aired in 2024

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